Going deeper week 7 – Personal daily study notes on Jn. 21
Jesus has come to restore us. He has come to
give hope to every day and to everyone. Maybe you’ve lost your zest for life
and joy in God; you’ve become like the disciples who went fishing because they
had no real sense of direction. Jesus comes to them and us and calls us into
new hope and fruitfulness. Maybe, like Peter, we’ve messed up. We’ve let God
and everyone down, living with punishing guilt. Jesus comes to such people and
offers them an opportunity to repent and be completely restored. The resurrection
is a message that says that there is always hope for the hopeless!
Monday: “I’m
going fishing”
Read John 21:1-3. Why do they
go fishing? It seems that, after their initial meeting with the risen Jesus,
life is returning to normal; Leon Morris comments, ‘the general impression left is that of men without a purpose’. They don’t know what to do now and so go back
to their habitual way of living. How are your days? Are you coasting and
aimless or are you living like Jesus is alive and has a mission for you?
Tuesday: “Come
and have breakfast”
Read John 21:4-14. Here we
see what happens when Jesus turns up: a miraculous catch, the net doesn’t break
and a good breakfast. Life is always better when we obey Jesus and expect Him
to be with us; we may have to endure some boring and pointless ‘nights’, but
let’s be expectant of joyful and victorious dawns!
Wednesday: “Do you love me more than these?”
Read John 21:15, Matt. 26:33. Jesus is challenging
Peter’s pride. In the past he had been self-confident that, “Even if all fall away on … I never will.” He
saw himself as more loving, committed and stronger than the other disciples. We
can all fall into the trap of pride, feeling superior to others. Such an
attitude will, undoubtedly, lead to a fall of some kind! Let’s stop comparing
ourselves to others: “I’m better than…” or “I’m worse than…” Instead let’s
focus on working on our own love for Jesus.
Thursday: “Do you love me?”
Read John 21:16. 1 John 4:21. A second time, Jesus questions whether Peter loves Him;
how might Peter have felt about this public inquiry? Let Jesus ask us again
today, do we love Him? How does your life reflect that you love God? Peter is
told that to love God he needs to “take care of my sheep”; for us, authentic
love for God is always seen in a sacrificial care for His church, so, “Do you
love me?”
Friday: “Do you
love me?”
Read John 21:17-19,
Prov. 27:6. For a third time
Jesus questions Peter, “do you
love me?” He is clearly emphasizing something essential to
Peter, the disciples who are listening in, and to us: He wants us to know that
no matter how much we’ve failed God, others and ourselves, He always offers us
reconciliation, growth and fresh opportunity to serve Him; failure is never a
dead-end! Today, no matter what has happened ‘yesterday’, make a commitment to
receive forgiveness, love and serve Jesus.
Saturday: “You must follow me”
Read John 21:20-25. Peter is curious
about the future of John. We don’t know Peter’s motive but we can all be prone
to comparing ourselves with others, favorably or jealously. Jesus says to us
all today – ‘whatever happens to others,
you follow me!” He has a race for you to run, gifts for you to use, a
Saviour to know and make known. Let’s believe and live!
You can catch up on all the messages in the
John series at:
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